Mail-box.



H. RAZNY.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2. 1914.

mfiwmm Pah ented Apr. 20, 1915.

Qwi/Weooao THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHCL. WASHINGTON. D. c.

pnirnn srarns rarnivr ornica HENRY BAZNY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgaibqgnteedl Apr. 21), T9155.

Application filed September 2, 1914. Serial No. 859,730.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that T, HENRY RAZNY, a subject ofthe Czar of Russia, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne andState of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mail boxes and collection receptacles, and theprimary object of my invention is to furnish a box or receptacle withpositive and reliable means, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, forpreventing the box or receptacle from being rifled or the contentsthereof surreptitiously removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail box orreceptacle with an outer closure, an inner closure, and a tiltableguard. These three elements are adapted to move in unison when the boxor receptacle is opened to permit of the deposit of a letter or othermail matter therein and the arrangement of the tiltable guard is suchthat it cooperates with a portion of the box or receptacle in providinga partition that prevents the fraudulent-removal of mail matter fromsaid box.

In the general make up of the mail box, the parts are constructed with aview of reducing the cost of manufacture and at the same time retain thefeatures by which durability, simplicity, and ease of assembling aresecured, and with such ends in view my invention consists in a novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafterspecifically described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mail box orcollection receptacle; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view looking at oneend wall of the box and showing the parts in normal position; and Fig. 3is a similar view of the box, looking at the other end wall thereof, andillustrating the closures of the box in an open position.

In the mail box which embodies the leading characteristics of myinvention there is present the bottom plate 1, a rear wall 2, a frontwall 3, a gable roof or top plate 4, and end walls 5 and 6. Theseelements are made of light and durable metal and are fabricated or madeintegral by castings or otherwise constructed to meet the requirementsof Government specifications. The box can be suitably supported, forinstance,

by a pedestal or a post, and the front wall 3 of the box is providedwith a large rectangular opening 7 normally closed by a hinged door 8,which permits of easy access being bad to the lower part of the box forthe removal of mail or collection matter. The door 8 when closed ispreferably flush with the outer side of the wall 3 and a conventionalform of Government lock can be emterial bordering upon the edges of thisslot or opening is upset or bent to provide an upstanding flange 11. Thewalls of the opening 10 and the flange 11 are disposed at an anglerelative to the vertical axis of the box, whereby mail matter depositedin the opening 10 will be directed toward the rear wall 2 of the box toimpinge an angularly disposed deflector 12 connecting the end walls 5and 6 and the rear wall 2, adiacent the gable roof of the box. Theangularly disposed deflector 12 partitions off the upper part of the boxfrom the lower part thereof, with the exception of an oblong opening 13formed by the edge of the deflector 12, the walls 5 and'6 and the door 8of the box, said opening permitting of the discharge of mail matter fromthe upper part of the box into the lower part thereof where it isretained to be removed by collectors opening the door 8.

Upon the outside of the gable roof or top plate 4 is a hinged outerclosure 14 which is flanged and adapted to fit over the flange 11 andclose the opening 10 of the box. This outer closure excludes rain andother foreign matter and can be manually opened, but mail matter cannotbe deposited in the box unless an inner closure is manipulated as willpresently appears The outer closure 14 has a stop 15 that engages thefront side of the roof 4 and limits the opening movement of the closure.In some instances the stop 15 can be secured to the gable roof to beengaged by the outer closure as the same is raised to an open position.-

J ournaled in the end walls 5 and 6, below the front side of the roof 4and contiguous to the front wall 3 of the box is a rock shaft 16, saidshaft having an end thereof protruding from the end wall 6 and providedwith a knob or handle 17, whereby the shaft can be easily rocked. Uponthe shaft 16, within the box, is rigidly mounted an inner closure 18adapted to engage the inner side of the roof and close the inner end ofthe opening 10. The inner closure 18, adjacent the end wall 6, has anapertured extension 19 connected by coiled retractile spring 2 0 to theinner side of the end wall 6. This retractile spring retains the innerclo sure in engagement with the inner side of the roof 4 and the innerend of the opening 10 normally closed thereby.

The opposite end of the inner closure 18 is closed or cut away, asindicated at 21, to provide clearance for the curved end of a rod 22pivotally connected, as at 23 to the end of an arm 24 pivotallyconnected to the inner side of the end wall 5. The pivoted arm 24 islocated directly beneath the inner closure 18 and is impinged therebywhen said inner closure is swung to an open position. The movement ofthe inner closure 18 and the arm 24 is limited by a stop 26 carried bythe inner side of the end wall 5.

Pivotally mounted between the end walls 5 and 6, adjacent to the frontwall 3, is a tiltable angleguard 27 connected by a link 28 to the innerside of the inner closure 18, said link being located contiguous to theend wall 6.

The knob or handle 17 can be rotated only in one direction by reason ofthe inner closure 18 engaging the inner side of the roof 4. When theknob is located the inner closure 18 is swung to an open position andthrough the medium of a link 28 the tiltable angle guard 27 is loweredinto engagement with the angularly disposed deflector 12, as best shownin Fig. 3. Simultaneous with the opening of the inner closure 18, thepivoted arm 24 is actuated and the rod 22 which extends normally intothe opening 10, is projected through said opening to raise the outerclosure 14 to the position shown in Fig. 3. The weight of the rod 22 issufficient to retain the end of the arm 25 in engagement with the bottomside of the inner closure 18 when said closure is in the position shownin Fig. 2, consequently when the inner closure is swung to the positionshown in Fig. 3, the outer closure is immediately opened. With bothclosures open the letter or other piece of mailing matter can bedeposited in the opening 10 and in case of a letter, it generallyassumes the position shown in dotted lines and designated A. The letterrests upon the angularly disposed deflector 12 against the lower edge ofthe inner closure, and as the closure as sumes normal position, theletter is tilted in the inner closure 18, assuming at one time duringits movement the position indicated by dotted lines and designated B.The letter eventually sliding off of the deflector 12 through theopening 13 into the bottom of the mail box.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the tiltable angle guard 27cooperates with the angularly disposed deflector 12 in partitioning theupper part of the box from the lower part thereof, when the inner andouter closures are opened, consequently the insertion of a wire or otherdevice for surreptitiously removing the contents of the box cannot beaccomplished since such de vice cannot pass through or between thedeflector 12 and the tiltable guard 27. The closures, guard anddeflector can be made of light and durable metal, and with the actuatingmechanism located at the end walls of the box, there is little, if any,danger of mail matter interfering with the operation of the mechanism.

One embodiment of my invention has been illustrated but it is to beunderstood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changesas in the size, shape and manner of assemblage as fall within the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is '1. A mail box comprising a receptacle provided with anopening adapted to receive mail, inner and outer closures for theopening of said receptacle, an angularly disposed deflector arranged insaid receptacle, a tiltable angle guardarranged in said receptacle andadapted to engage said deflector, a connection between said guard andsaid inner closure, means connected to said inner closure formaintaining said tiltable guard normally out of engagement with saiddeflector, and means at an end wall of said receptacle forsimultaneously moving said inner closure and said guard.

2. A mail box comprising a receptacle provided with an opening adaptedto receive mail matter, inner and outer closures for the opening of saidreceptacle, an angularly disposed deflector within said receptacle, atiltable angle guard connected to said inner closure and adapted toengage said deflector, means connected to said inner closure fornormally maintaining said guard out of engagement with said deflector,means at an end wall of said receptacle for swinging said inner closureto an open position, means aetuated by a movement of said inner closurefor opening said outer closure.

3. A mail box comprising a receptacle having the top thereof providedwith an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outer closure uponthe top of said receptacle for the opening thereof, an inner closurewithin said receptacle for the opening thereof, a tiltable guard Withinsaid receptacle and connected to said inner closure, means at an endWall of said receptacle for moving said inner closure, and meansincluding a pivoted arm actuated by a movement of said inner closure forswinging said outer closure to an open position.

4. A mail box comprising a receptacle having the top thereof providedWith an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outer closure uponthe top of said receptacle and adapted to normally close the openingthereof, an inner closure Within said receptacle and adapted to normallyclose the opening thereof, an angularly disposed deflector arrangedWithin said receptacle, a tiltable angle guard arranged Within saidreceptacle and connected to said inner closure and adapted to engagesaid deflector, means con nected to said inner closure for normallymaintaining said guard out of engagement with said deflector, means atan end Wall of said receptacle for moving said inner closure, and meansactuated by said inner closure for opening said outer closure.

5. A mail boX comprising a bottom plate, a front Wall, a rear Wall, endWalls, a gable roof, said gable roof having the front side thereofprovided With an opening adapted to receive mail matter, an outerclosure arranged upon said gable roof for the opening thereof, a rockshaft journaled in the end Walls of said box, an inner closure mountedupon said rock shaft and held normally against the inner side of thegable roof to close the opening thereof, an angular-1y disposeddeflector connecting the end Walls of said box, a tiltable angle guardbetween the end Walls of said box and connected to said inner closureand adapted to engage said deflector, means connected to said innerclosure for retaining said closure normally against said roof and saidtiltable guard out of engagement with said deflector and means includingan arm actuated by said inner clo sure for simultaneously opening saidouter closure.

In testimony whereof I aflix in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY RAZNY.

my signature Witnesses:

KARL H. BUTLER, ANNA M. DoRR.

tl'opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

